Mentalechoes

Recently I’ve started training for an upcoming short course run that is to be held in Amsterdam in September called “The Dam to Dam”. It’s 16 kilometers from one beach to another beach and journeys its way through the city, past various landmarks of interest and The Red Light District. I’m doing this because at my workplace someone asked me if I wanted to run it as part of a company team, and so to look cool in front of a couple of office chicks I said, yeah sure… course I’ll do it mate! Now with only a few months to go till this thing, I figured I better get my arse into gear and do some training or I’m more likely to collapse before making the first turn.

So starting a few weeks ago I train by doing a lap of Vondelpark starting from my flat, which takes me about 40 minutes for a circuit of around 5 kilometers. What I’ve found now is that once I get to the three and a half k’s mark - which is the back straight of the park circuit - my whole body eases into this ryhthmic motion and my mind comes to stillness; the same as if I were meditating. All thoughts and worries melt away and I become conscious of only my breathing. My awareness focuses on… nothing and everything. It’s very hard to explain, but I feel my consciousness simply existing with the rest of existence, without focusing on any one part of it. It’s a totally relaxing and satisfying experience. I can only manage to maintain this state for about 5 minutes or so, but when I find myself here, its really fantastic. All the cares and worries for the day lose their hold on my mind, and I find a peace from the chaos of the day. After I get home, I have a shower and I feel very relaxed and able to think through my problems in a constructive process.

I studied meditation technique a couple of years ago at the London Bhuddist Center out at Holloway Road, but I found it difficult to acheive a meditative state sitting on a cushion in silence. I find it a bit ironic that that same state I can acheive much more easily whilst running through a park with many more distractions surrounding me. In any case, I look forward to my evening runs, 4 times a week, and am interested to see when I get fitter if I can maintain that meditative state for longer. Here’s hoping!

Padwanna.